Somehow, Carols by Laserlight managed to capture people's imagination. Or at least their curiosity. Perhaps that's why it broke records for a Woodlands service, giving us the largest number of people we've ever gathered in the venue at one time.
Carols were led by a band, instead of a choir, giving them a modern, mashed-up vibe that fits perfectly with our regular evening church culture. Alongside media elements, readings and videos, the Bishop of Bristol, Mike Hill, brought a challenging and inspiring message.
What a great time we had at 'Girls Night Out' at Woodies last Thursday!
Around 330 women from all over Bristol were treated to the talents of Carrie Grant and Jo Enright, as well as hearing about the amazing work of World Vision.
Carrie spoke about her life and the ups and downs that she had faced, which was inspiring and hopeful. Her beautiful voice was music to our ears, as she sung songs which wove beautifully with what she shared with us.
You are 18. You have arrived at university for the first time. You have a bag of shopping in your hall which you don’t yet know how to turn into a meal. But as you wander down Woodland Road you find some hope. It’s the smell of a grill. Something’s going on…
Over 100 lone parents plus 200 or so children enjoyed the 4th Single Parents' Fair. It was a morning of kindness and care for lone parents who do such a wonderful job of bringing up their children by themselves. Alongside the regular face painting, crafts and bouncy castles, the children were treated to a visit from Bristol Zoo where they could shake hands with a tarantula and hold huge African snails. The mums left with bags full of quality secondhand clothes for themselves and their children, and many sported new hair styles and freshly manicured nails.
Our Comedy Magic Night with John Archer was a huge success. Due to the enormous popularity of the event, we increased the number of tickets available from 200 to 300 and still sold out 2 weeks ahead of time.
The evening had a great cabaret feel with music, buffet, French patisseries and drinks by candlelight. Kate Jinadu, accompanied by Mark Van De Poll, sang some jazz classics, including 'Cry Me a River', 'Funny Valentine' and 'My Baby Just Cares for Me'.
We had a fantastic time with the children during our Children's Holiday Club. We met at "Rocky's Plaice," a seaside cafe, where in the company of Mrs Tagliatelle and her two hilarious trainee chefs, "Salt" and "Vinegar," we learnt about Peter and the experiences of the Early Church. Over 50 children gathered for singing, teaching, craft, games and discussion. There was cooking and cake decoration, we designed aprons and place mats, we even made our own guitars to accompany the Rocky's Plaice Anthem.
The Mix is youthful, engaging and fun. It's our monthly citywide celebration for young people and draws teenagers from groups all over Bristol.
The Mix takes place on the first Sunday of each month at 5pm. It provides an energetic, compelling environment with dynamic worship, prayer, stories and preaching.
Around 400 young people between the ages of 13 and 21 attend The Mix each month.
